Fabrication and Magnetic Properties of Electrospun Ti0.9V0.1O2 Nanofibers

Ti(0.9)V(0.1)O(2) nanofibers were fabricated by a simple electrospinning using a solution that contained poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), Vanadyl acetyl-acetonate, and titanium(diisoproproxide) bis(2, 4-pentanedionate) 75 wt% in 2-propanol. The Ti(0.9)V(0.1)O(2) nanofibers with average diameters of 76-86 nm were successfully obtained from calcination of the asspun Ti(0.9)V(0.1)O(2)/PVP composite nanofibers at 400, 500 and 600 degrees C in air for 3 h. The as-spun and calcined Ti(0.9)V(0.1)O(2) /PVP composite nanofibers were characterized by TG-DTA, SEM, and XRD. The results of XRD indicated that the calcined samples of Ti(0.9)V(0.1)O(2) composite nanofibers at 400 and 500 degrees C had the mixed phases of anatase and rutile TiO(2) structure without any significant change in the structure affected by V substitution. However, an impurity of V(2)O(5) was found in the samples calcined at 600 degrees C. Room temperature magnetization results revealed a weak ferromagnetic behavior for the Ti(0.9)V(0.1)O(2) samples and the specific magnetization decreased with increasing calcination temperature. The origin of ferromagnetism observed in the Ti(0.9)V(0.1)O(2) nanofibers was also discussed.